Volition
by Evening Sunlight
Summary: My second Creva fiction, filled with action & drama. This time, Chris Redfield decides to stay in Africa to help his friends Sheva and Josh after the end of his mission in Kijuju.
1. Conflict

_Ok guys, here I am again with another Creva fiction. I just love this couple. Thanks for the reviews on **Awareness** and the private messages. This story was first named 'Alternative', because I wanted to make an alternate story of Awareness. What would have happened if Chris stayed in Africa? But I decided to change the name because I also wrote the characters under a different perspective. My new Sheva is way more strong-willed and sensual in this one. And Chris is a little more easygoing too... ;)_

_Check **Awareness** out, too! Have fun._

__Disclaimer: I do not owe RE, that's only a FanFiction.__

* * *

><p>'Thank you for staying'. Her eyes said, firmly and gratefully at the same time.<p>

'I wouldn't leave my partner behind. If something happened to you, I wouldn't forgive myself.'

…

She smiled, glad that he had eventually made up his mind.

* * *

><p>She had told him the mission wasn't over yet. A lot had to be done and the infection was somewhat controlled, but they would need at least another couple of weeks to finish the job.<p>

'How many?'

'Enough, Chris.'

'How many?' He asked again.

'Six.'

'Are you serious? After all we've been through they couldn't put more people to clean that mess? That really pisses me off. Lives are at risk.'

'We'll be fine, Chris. We're ready for this.'

'Sheva, you and Josh are the only ones ready for this. Still, when you were there with me, you could have died so many times…'

'So could you, Chris.'

'I know, but I was there … to protect you.'

'Chris, just drop it, will you? You were dismissed; you don't have to do that.'

'What if I want to?'

'Look', she responded impatiently, 'you don't want to. You feel you have to do this just because I decided to go with you and rescue you partner. Chris, you don't owe me a thing, seriously. Go and take care of her now. She also saved your life, right? You owe her more than you owe me.'

He was speechless by what she had just told him. Was she serious about that? He had a feeling that she didn't want him to go and he didn't know why.

'She told me to stay.'

'That's why you want to stay? Because she asked you to stay?' Sheva asked moodily.

'No, because she says she's fine and I won't need to stay around anymore. She won't go back to work in a long time. But she said you need me and I guess she's right.'

She sighed defiantly and shot back.

'Look, Chris. Think twice before you commit to something you aren't willing to do. Be reasonable.'

He was not so sure about what she meant.

'I will.'

She calmed down a bit.

'And say hi to Jill and tell her I wish all the best in her new life. Tell her to enjoy life and stop doing this shit we do.'

He laughed at her sincerity.

'She told me to thank you one more time last time I saw her.'

'I can't count how many times she's done that.' She chuckled.

'So…'

'Good night, Chris.'

Her eyes were cloudy and they weren't easy to read at all. It was hard to know what was going through her head now and that drove Chris insane. He didn't know what to do. He cared for Jill and wanted to make sure she would be alright, but she was confidently telling him to stay away and take care of his life. He had done enough for her and she was happy to go back home and start a new life. Could he trust his partner on that?

* * *

><p>He purposely listened to their conversation after Sheva harshly wished him good night. He needed answers she wasn't willing to give him, so he didn't feel bad he wasn't minding his own business.<p>

'Shev, are you ready?'

'I hope so, Josh.'

'Is Chris coming?'

'He doesn't know yet. I told him he didn't have to.'

'Well, I'd say having him on the team would be a great help.'

'I know, but we gotta concentrate on our task now. Is everyone ready?'

'Hopefully. Shev…' He called.

'What?'

'Are you avoiding him?'

She took a while to answer.

'No, Josh. I just don't want him to feel he owes me something.'

'Doesn't he owe you, though?'

'No, nobody owes me a damn thing.'

'So why the hell did you follow him around on that insane search for Jill, damn it? You disobeyed orders because of him. We were all worried as hell about you.'

'I knew he was sure Jill was alive and it broke my heart to know that a helpless woman needed our help. She couldn't stand for herself on that bastard's hands.'

'Ok, so you did that for a woman you never met before.'

She gasped.

'What are you trying to say, Josh?'

'Nothing, sister. It's just that I know you are the most unselfish person I've ever met and you help people without expecting them to do anything in return, even when they are willing to help you. But I notice you care a lot about Chris.'

'What the hell is that supposed to mean?'

Josh smiled and said good night to her, completely blowing her off. Chris left before Josh could see him and he also wondered what he meant.

He had made his decision. He would go with the team. He wanted to pay Sheva back for what she had done to him, saving his life many times and saving his best friend.

He also knew they both felt uneasy towards each other and he didn't know why.

He went back to his quarters and took a long shower. It had been three days since their mission was over. Jill was going back home the following morning and he was heading now to the hospital to say goodbye to her and to give her the news.

'Good job, Chris. I knew you would do it. You have a great heart.'

'I'll miss you.'

He hugged her tight and kissed her forehead tenderly. She looked deeply in his blue eyes.

'I'll miss you too. I missed you all those years. But I'm sure I'll be seeing you soon.'

'You sure you'll be alright?'

'Yes. And please, take care of Sheva, will you?'

She was also as unselfish as Sheva could be, he thought. But she had maliciously smiled as she made her request and Chris pretended he didn't get the joke. Jill had been potentially teasing him about Sheva's beauty. She openly insinuated that Sheva was attracted to Chris and so was he to her, but unfortunately he was too stupid to notice it. Chris just said she didn't know what she was talking about, always smiling, and teasing her that they were giving her too much medication.

He would miss his partner and best friend and the many times they bugged each other. She was so fun to be with, so sweet to him. He thought he was lucky to have had her as a partner all those years. He was also lucky to have found Sheva Alomar. _Again, uneasiness._

* * *

><p>BSAA, West Africa Quarters. 6:00am<p>

'Everybody ready?' Josh cried out.

'Yes, sir.' They all responded in chorus.

Josh had a bright smile on his face as his eyes moved outside the circle.

'Good to see you, Redfield.'

She turned around fast and saw him coming. She couldn't believe it. He had really come. Chris noticed her eager eyes and thought he saw happiness in them.

'Good to see you, Josh. Sorry, I'm late.'

'Late but not least'. Josh replied still with a smile on his face.

She tried not to look at him anymore or it would be very suspicious. She knew Josh had already noticed her anxiety, but she could count on his discretion.

'Alright, guys. We'll be dividing into pairs or groups of three. We're definitely going to split. Mendez and Boya, you go to the west side here on the map. Gota, Jones, and I will keep the center of the city. Chris and Sheva, you'll head to the coast.'

'I didn't know the infection had spread that far yet.' Sheva commented.

'Chances are it has, actually, Sheva. Your job is exactly that: make sure it won't go further north, where we have a big concentration of people.'

'But why not send one of us to the center too? You are outnumbered and we won't be able to do much in the coast anyway.'

'You actually don't know about that, Sheva. The coast is our weakest and least guarded spot in the area, I count on yours and Chris's experience to deal with the unknown. I'm sure we will be fine and thanks for your concern. Go get your cars, our mission starts now and you'll be done at dusk. Keep your talkies with you all the time. Here are your maps, where you should go and where you'll lodge. I must reassign you if I need to.'

'Copy that.' They all said in chorus.

They were little by little hopping in their hummers and revving up to go.

Chris was driving at a steady speed, the dust of the road lifting up from the ground.

'Thank you for staying'. Her eyes said, gratefully.

'I wouldn't leave my partner behind. If something happened to you, I wouldn't forgive myself. Even if you weren't assigned, I'd still do it for Josh.' His voice was tender and firm.

She smiled gladly that he had made up his mind.

She seemed tired. Had she slept at all? Her head lazily rested on the seat and it was hard to know what she was thinking about.

'Are you ok?' He asked, concerned.

'Sure.' She responded without looking in his eyes. 'I just haven't slept well in a week.'

'Neither have I, Sheva. Are agents ever allowed to sleep?' He chuckled.

'Maybe not. But I seriously need a break soon.' She said bitterly.

'You're not happy we finally killed that son of a bitch and that we may be too close to shut down Umbrella's operations? I thought that was what you wanted.'

'Yeah, Chris, we killed him. Now what?'

Chris didn't know what to say but he knew exactly how she felt. _Welcome to my world, Sheva._ This unsatisfied feeling would never go away. It had accompanied him since he began to work as an agent. He was never fully satisfied, a lot more could always be done. Besides, he was always lonely, too. It was hard to keep a relationship and his whole life was turned around his sister, Claire. But she was no child; she would probably marry and have kids soon. And he would stay in the same abyss.

He sighed.

'I don't know, Sheva. I never know.'

She stared at him in search of an answer that she couldn't have.

'I figured as much.'

'That's who we are, unfortunately.'

And along the road they went, on one more endless mission in their lives.

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><p><em>Please review!<em>


	2. Ashes

The creature moved towards her unstoppably and he knew what was about to happen. He was trapped, there was no way she could hear his voice. What could he do? _No! God, help me_, _please._

He didn't have a good angle to shoot the thing, but he pointed his Vz61 and precisely shot the rundown ceiling over her head, hoping she would get the clue. She turned back right when she was going to be attacked and stopped the creature from moving forward by, instinctively, shooting it in the middle of the head. Their eyes crossed from far away and he tried to read hers anxiously. He could see a mix of gratitude and sadness.

* * *

><p>Sheva fell down on her knees and breathed heavily as if she was having an asthma attack. Chris desperately rushed through corpses and junk to get to her as fast as he could, even though he knew she was already safe.<p>

She sat on the floor, exhausted and overwhelmed. It seemed she was going down an immeasurable abyss with no turning back.

Chris had never been emotional during a mission, but he couldn't help himself when he neared her shady figure on the floor. She was crying like she hadn't cried for years in her bitter life. All that angst and sadness buried inside her for a long time was slowly coming back to surface. He cupped her face with his hands and asked her if she was fine, his eyes agonizingly searching for an answer.

'Oh my God, Sheva, are you okay? Are you hurt?'

'No… I'm fine.'

'Why are you crying? Are you in pain?'

He swore to himself that he had never seen such pain in someone's eyes before.

'I wish he had killed me.'

Her words and sobs made him shiver. He knelt down by her, holding her head and pressing it against his chest, protectively. His eyes wouldn't stop wandering around to see if the danger was really gone. So far they had killed only ten infected. Sheva was right about that area not being really hit, but he understood that Josh just wanted to prevent an epidemic rush towards the coast. Besides being a more populated area, that's where the main businesses, jobs, and tourism were concentrated, and the infection would cause a devastating panic and evacuation, destroying the city's economy.

'Calm down, Shev. It will pass.'

She told herself to stop being so stupid. She had always been so strong. She reminded herself of when she was part of the militias. She had never been afraid of shooting a gun, partially because she was just an innocent child who didn't know what was going on. But later she believed that she was now facing her life's worst atonement for being a killer. _Get a grip, Sheva. Stop being such a weak and crying over some random dude's arms._ But he was no random dude and she knew that. She had no idea why she trusted him so much, with her life and now with her feelings. They had been through hell together, that could be the reason why, but still. She wasn't going to let him inside her shell that easily.

'_Chris, Sheva, you still there?' _Josh's voice roared through Chris's talkie, echoing in the abandoned building.

'Positive, Josh. Sheva was almost hit, but nothing happened. She isn't feeling good, though.'

'I'm fine, Josh'. She responded, upping her head towards Chris's talkie and giving him a pissed off look.

'_Copy that. Do you think there are any left?'_

'I guess not, but we'll check. This is the only place in town where these sons of a bitches could be moving, according to the Intel. We should be looking into another area nearby tomorrow to make sure they haven't escaped.' Chris replied.

'_Roger that. Go ahead and finish the search, then you're dismissed for the day. We'll be at the coast; everyone is heading to your direction tonight. Meet you guys in two hours by the beach.'_

Sheva stood up and wiped her face.

'Chris, let's go check. I want to be done with this soon.'

'It's a good idea.' He answered, coldly.

Chris was a little disturbed with her attitude. Since they started the mission, she'd been cold and distant, and now she wanted to die. _What the fuck was going on?_

'Chris.' She stopped him, placing her hand on his back. He stared at her eyes, which seemed to be pleading for something again.

'Yes, Sheva.'

'Forgive me.'

'For what? It wasn't your fault.'

'For being so weak and mean. I've got a lot on me lately.'

He sighed comprehensibly and responded, staring at her eyes.

'I always got a lot on me, too, Sheva. It's fine. You're just now reacting after all that happened in Kijuju. I remember my first mission and I felt exactly like that.'

He leaned towards her and kissed her forehead. It was the first genuine gesture of affection he had ever shown to a new partner in a mission. He had always learned how to keep his distance. Jill and he had shared some intimacy moments before, but they had known each other for years.

'Thanks for saving me.' She said, still a little antsy.

'Thanks for being there for me when I needed, too.' He gave her a reassuring look and they kept going.

* * *

><p>They got back to their log cabins in an hour and rapidly got their stuff out of the car. Sheva rushed into her cabin, saying that she needed a shower right away. She had faced death closely and was apparently still shaken by the thought of it.<p>

Chris also entered his room, took off his shoes, and got in the shower. It had been a really hot day. His cabin was small but much nicer and comfortable than the piece of shit room he was given at the base, he thought. It smelled fresh and new and he was looking around when he saw rose petals on the floor. _What the hell?_ Well, he didn't actually care. He just threw himself under the cold shower.

He felt the cold water gradually running down his body. He couldn't get her out of his head. What the hell was going on with him? He saw so much sadness in her eyes that he wished he could take it all to him just to see her smile again.

Chris was astonished by Sheva's beauty when he first saw her in the morning after the day they arrived from the mission. Jill was still in hospital and he had come back to the base to talk to Josh when he spotted her walking in the refectory. She was so pretty with her hair down and a little wet and her white crochet dress. She was smiling and talking to one of the crew members, and she didn't look like the same person. He couldn't take his eyes off of her until he heard Josh calling his name repeatedly. He knew Josh had noticed, but whatever. She was so damn pretty that it was worth to be caught staring.

After seeing her that morning, they bumped into each other a couple of other times. She went to visit Jill in the hospital and brought her flowers and a tribal bracelet, with words that stood for 'Strength' in Swahili. Jill loved the bracelet and put it on her arm right away. They connected quite fast and easily. Chris had left the room to give them some feminine privacy and they talked for an hour. He never dared to ask Jill about it, though.

He had seen her during meal times. Their eyes crossed curiously and she would smile at him. Chris had never been a guy who smiled much, but he couldn't help it but smiling back. Anyway, it was that type of thing that you couldn't exactly avoid. He thought she was really attractive and he knew that, in another time or place, he would gladly flirt with her and invite her out. But he knew how torn and unsettled he was. His missions were the only certainty he had in his life and he had never been given the right to have a normal personal life.

He had considered being with Jill a while back in time. They were in a relationship for a short period of time, but mostly because it was convenient. They were both in the same business and both understood each other really well. But Chris thought that it was not fair to any of them and they decided they should be only friends. He loved her maybe more than he had ever loved a girlfriend, but in a different way. She was family. There were two women he could die for and they were Claire and Jill. And now this young and new girl just shows up in his life and starts messing up with his thoughts.

* * *

><p>Sheva wanted to disappear after her mission. Why had she done that for Chris anyway? She was absolutely honest with herself, maybe more than Chris was with himself. She knew she liked him the first moment she set her eyes on him. She was always prone to pick the rude cocky guys who usually didn't care about her. He was definitely her type.<p>

Why couldn't she just love a nice African boy? Most guys she had been in love with, since college, were stupid and spoiled Americans. They had destroyed her self steam and made her doubt about love and relationships. She had once talked to her best American girlfriend about relationships and she had told Sheva that it wasn't the ethnicity or where her boyfriends came from necessarily. She was always picking the wrong guys as a self punishment for being a rebel in her teenage years. Her friend told her to stop doing that to herself; that there were lots of nice guys out there anywhere in the world, ready to commit to such a dependable and nice girl like her. She truly wished her friend was right.

She didn't know who Chris Redfield was, though. He could be really nice and reliable, even though he sometimes showed very little of himself. She had made him smile a couple of times and she was proud of that. His smile was beautiful and genuine and she wondered if he was as unhappy as his eyes looked.

Her stream of thoughts was interrupted by his voice at her door. She was wrapped in her towel, combing her hair and sitting on the bed.

'Sheva, you ready?'

'Are they here yet?'

'They're waiting for us at the beach. They're ordering something to eat at the bar close to the shore.'

'Go ahead, Chris, I'll be there in a second. Order something for me, please. I could eat a lion right now, so I imagine how hungry you must be.'

She could hear him chuckle outside.

'Alright. What do you like?'

'Anything with meat and vegetables.

'See you then.'

'See ya.'

_Ugh!_ How she hated herself for crying around him. What the hell had just happened? She was really the most honest person she ever knew and never tried to hide her feelings from herself. She was tired of that stupid life, tired of being alone. And it had hurt her badly to see him rushing to help his older partner when he didn't even ask her how she was doing the following day. She had bruises all over her body by being thrown up in the air uncountable times by Wesker. He had assumed she was fine because he was Mr. Invincible Redfield, but couldn't he have at least asked? _What an asshole_. He had thanked her, though, but still. However, meeting Chris was just the tip of her iceberg of problems.

She decided to stop being so cranky and, feeling good with herself, put on some beautiful makeup on her face, including a wine colored lipstick. Her hair was down and wavy and she liked what she saw on the mirror. Her long emerald green dress matched her hazel eyes perfectly. She wanted to eat dinner, drink some wine, and laugh with the guys. She knew that nights out with them were always very fun and they would usually sit down by the fire, get wasted, tell stories, and laugh. She felt that was home. They were her family.

But she knew the makeup wasn't intended to the guys, but to someone else. _Ugh, idiot!_

* * *

><p>She arrived at the bar &amp; restaurant half an hour later. Guys were already drinking beers and eating steak and fries. She said hi to everyone and sat down. Chris had eyed her fixedly from the moment she arrived to when she sat down by his side.<p>

'So, what did you get me?' She asked in a much happier mood.

'Fish Potjie.'

'Wow,' she exclaimed surprised, 'how did you know I like that so much? Hum, I guess you had some help.' She commented suspiciously.

'Caught.' He smiled and she beautifully smiled back.

The guys were so concentrated talking to each other that they didn't hear any words shared between them. Chris felt being emerged in a lavender scent. Her smell. _So good._

'Looking good.'

Had he just been flirtatious?

'Thanks, same to you.' She kept her eyes on the menu, choosing something to drink.

She called someone's attention and ordered something in Swahili.

He didn't know what to say. He felt awkward sitting by that very beautiful woman and surrounded by his colleagues. He needed to break the ice.

'So, what's with the roses and petals?'

Sheva laughed spontaneously.

'I thought I should've warned you, but I preferred to see you surprised.'

'Excuse me?' He asked confused.

'This area is usually destined to honeymooners. Love is actually its main economy'. She winked as if she had told him a secret.

'Oh, I got it. That explains.'

'Yeah, that also explains the three boxes of condoms I found in my closet today.'

Chris laughed, unconstrained for the first time.

'Well, at least they're doing it right.'

'Agreed, there are too many babies in the world already.'

She was little by little coming back to 'herself' and he was enjoying seeing her in a better mood. She looked pretty and natural.

'So, anyway,' she continued, sipping her drink, 'there are lots of nice resorts in this area. We're actually staying in the 'economy class' cabins.'

'How could they've done that to us? They should have at least given us some cleaner sheets.'

She made a yucky face.

'Did you notice that too?'

They burst out laughing and the guys finally looked at them, wondering what was going on.

'What's so funny, guys?' Josh asked.

'Our rooms smell like sex.' Sheva honestly replied.

'Is that so bad?' Gota happily questioned.

'Well, somebody else's sex is really bad.' Sheva replied.

They all laughed together. It was nice to see Sheva joking and smiling widely now. Chris thought it was interesting how she openly talked to the guys about anything. They were all family to her. She practically heard guy talk everyday, so obviously she would shamelessly talk about sex around them too.

After a great meal, they all sat by the fire and shared stories. First they talked about the mission and other things related to work. Some time later, when the wine was making effect, Josh made everyone share embarrassing stories that had once happened to them. They were picking on Sheva all the time, trying to make her mad and embarrassed. Their favorite stories were those of when she had first moved to America and felt like a lost bird there.

'Sheva, tell the guys about Mr. Clean Feet.' Josh started.

'Mr. What?' Mendez asked.

'Josh, I hate you sometimes…' Sheva had a mad look at her face, but also mixed with fun. She continued. 'You know, guys, I was 18 when I moved there. After some time I got to know people better and speak the language well. So I had a couple of boyfriends…'

'The type who won't make their own beds and live off mom and dad's wages…'

'Exactly. The guys I met in college seemed way too immature to me. Nothing like you guys who had to become a real man early to help supporting your families… So… I got tired and kicked them out.'

'And then she hooks up with a guy twice her age…' Josh devilishly adds.

'Josh, will you stop?' She pretended to throw ashes on him, as they were all laughing and anxious to hear about the story.

Chris watched her curiously, also delighted by her storytelling.

'It was supposed to be secret back then. He was my professor.' She covered her face with her hands, laughing, embarrassed.

'Way to go, Sheva!' Some of the guys commented.

'So… It was a great experience, much better than the other guys I dated before…'

'Except that he was…' Josh interfered, saving his breath to laugh later.

'He was OCD.'

Chris smiled and asked.

'Why is that?'

'Can I tell him, Sheva?' Josh asked.

'Josh, you're probably having more fun than anyone else by telling this story, so go ahead. Ha ha.'

'So… Chris. The old man would invite her over to his house to do whatever.'

'Whatever…' The guys repeated in unison, embarrassing her even more.

'He wasn't an old man, he was 40, damn it!' She said, defensively.

'You were 20, though.' Josh remarked.

'Whatever, guys.' She shot back.

'So,' Josh continued, 'he would be really happy to see her there. Except he had something he had to do whenever someone came to visit.'

'What? What?' The guys all asked.

Sheva had tears in her eyes of laughing so much. She buried her face under her knees before he could answer.

'He would take Sheva to the bathroom and wash her feet.'

'Wtf?'

'Yeah, Mendez. He would wash her feet because he had a $100.000 carpet installed.'

'No f* way.' Chris said, laughing.

'True, man. So Sheva never needed a pedicure back then.'

'Did he do your toenails too, Sheva?' Boya asked.

'Enough, guys, ok? You've had your fun today!' She said in a grumpy mood.

'Ah come one, Shev! I didn't even tell the guys about Mr. Dildo in the post office.'

'Josh! Ugh!' Sheva groaned.

They embarrassed her for another half hour. Chris was feeling really good to see her in a better mood and to hear funny stories about her life. It felt like finally he was getting to know her. She looked so lovable and sweet sometimes, nothing like that strong-willed rebel young girl he first thought she could be. And he loved the fact she said she had dated an older guy, too. He was twelve years older than her and he always thought that could be an issue. She seemed too sure of herself, though, nothing like an average 23-year-old back home. If he didn't know her age and she didn't look so young, he would say she was at least thirty.

_But why are you having these thoughts anyway, Chris?_ He couldn't shut up the voice on his mind.

Man, it was getting hard to control his feelings for her. It was a mix of gratitude, friendship, and desire. Real desire. He was in flames at the thought of her naked on his bed. _It must be the wine, Chris._

* * *

><p>Chris went to the men's restroom and splashed water all over his face. He starred at himself in the mirror. He didn't know what to do with his life anymore. He was getting old and tired of all those crappy missions. He would really have to reconsider a life change when he got back home. He had killed Wesker, or at least apparently. But he still wanted to make sure the son of a bitch hadn't survived.<p>

_What about Sheva?_ He couldn't answer. He didn't even know what to say about her, actually. She was amazing. Beautiful, delicate, and strong at the same time. Sexy, super hot... What wouldn't he give to be alone with her for one night… He just didn't know if he could handle having her for one night only. The thought of her leaving made him uneasy. He may have just a couple of weeks in Africa and he had no idea where fate would take them. More likely apart. And he would be lonely and unhappy again.

* * *

><p>Chris was walking back to the group when it was Josh's turn to go to the restroom. He noticed Sheva wasn't there.<p>

'Hey. Where is Sheva?'

'Oh. She walked up to the beach.'

'Why?'

'Well, it seems her parents liked to take her there when she was little, so she goes there whenever she can. She's been quite emotional lately, you know.'

'Tell me about it. She was really messed up today after she was almost killed.'

'It'll pass. I guess she just realized what it takes to do what we do. She's still fresh, though she's great with guns. And you guys didn't seem to have a nice time chasing Wesker down.'

'I told her that. It's still hard to believe she's handling that well.'

Josh looked at Chris as if he was analyzing him. He let out a grin, as if he knew what was going on between them.

'Go out there and bring her back.' He winked, walking away.

_Great_. He had noticed. Chris had a desperate urge to talk to her, even though he didn't know why.

* * *

><p>She was sitting on a rock by the shore. She had her sandals on her hands and she was playfully soaking her feet in the low tide water. She could instinctively sense he was coming behind her.<p>

'Hey, Chris.' She said without looking.

'How did you know it was me?' He curiously asked, sitting beside her, and removing his shoes.

'I just can feel you.' She said softly, looking deeply in his eyes and grinning.

'Is that so?' He asked a little flirtatiously.

'Yes. I can smell you within a mile.' She said shameless yet not provocatively.

'Wow, I'm impressed with your sixth sense.'

'Seventh, actually.'

'What's the sixth then?'

'You'd better not know.' She answered, giggling sheepishly.

'Ha ha. I confess I'm afraid to know the answer after all those stories I learned about you.'

He paused, looked at the waves, and took a deep breath.

'How are you feeling?'

'Better.' She smiled honestly.

'Josh said you were here. I didn't track your smell.' He winked.

It was good to see him more open, making jokes and smiling.

'Yeah… I'm here because this place has its share of good memories. When I was little, dad would bring me here.' She said nostalgically.

Chris had heard she usually didn't talk about her parents. It might still hurt her much. So he intently let her go on.

'My dad was such a handsome guy, you know.' She said smiling. 'He kind of looked like you.'

'I guess I should definitely take that as a compliment.'

She chuckled and continued.

'He was Dutch. Actually his family was but he was born here. He used to tell me stories of when he first met my mom and I can still remember that. He said he knew he loved her when he first set his eyes on her.'

'Wow…'

'Yeah. His family wasn't so happy about it, though. They were very racist. My mom was a native from the island, poor, but really, really pretty. They fell in love instantly. And then I came nine months later.' She said genuinely.

'A beautiful mix.'

'Thanks', she smiled. 'I'm really proud of my color. I'm a physical proof that the world could be a great place when races and cultures don't actually exist anymore.'

He smiled at her comment. He really agreed with her. He loved her caramel mocha skin and her hazel eyes. God, if he could at least touch her that moment. But he didn't want to break the spell. She was finally talking about her past and that was important to him that she opened up.

'I miss them. I remember how happy they were, always dancing and kissing each other. It was like a fairy tale.'

'Sheva, you should be happy you actually experienced that. When my parents were alive, I just remembered them fighting all the time, ha ha.'

She looked at him surprised.

'Did they pass?'

'Yeah, a long time ago.'

'I'm so sorry, Chris.' She said with a really sad look on her face.

'It's okay, Sheva. But they gave me Claire. My sister is my everything.'

'Nice. I wish I had a sibling. But it would have been a lot more complicated if I had to watch for him or her. I had a hard time watching for myself.'

'I'm sorry…' He said with tender eyes.

She touched his hand.

'It's okay, Chris. We'll all be fine in the end, right?' He tenderly smiled.

'Right…'

He wrapped his arm around her and she comfortably rested her head on his shoulder, watching the waves come and go. At this point, he didn't give a damn anymore. He was allowing himself to be a little bit more welcoming and open-minded to whatever was coming next.

'You know, Chris,' she whispered almost faintly, 'you can be really nice sometimes.'

He smiled at her honest remark.

'When am I not nice?'

'Like now?' He laughed. 'You're so cocky sometimes, you know.'

'I know. But honesty is a virtue.'

'See that?' Sheva shook her head unbelievably, smiling.

He could let her rest on his shoulder forever, he wouldn't mind. It was great to have her so close, even though he was scared as hell about his feelings for her. Again, he didn't care at this point. _Let life lead the way, Chris_.

* * *

><p>They were back after a while to meet the group. Everyone was ready to head back. They all had drunk a lot of wine and Josh agreed that, even though they needed a break, it was necessary to be focused on the mission the next morning. Chris and Sheva would remain at the beach area, but would move about 20 miles north. The other crew would stay in the same place they had been before.<p>

Chris and Sheva walked slowly on the way back home to avoid saying goodbye so soon. When they reached their cabins, Chris kissed her goodnight on her forehead. She gave with a soft kiss on his cheek in return, what gave him quivers. He felt like a high school boy. He really wanted to kiss her on her lips but he knew it wasn't the appropriate time. She was still pretty much shaken with everything that was going on lately and he could tell that all she really needed at that moment was a friend. And he was there for her. _Partners till the end_, like she once told him.

He could tell the sadness in her eyes when she got in the cabin and closed the door.

'See you tomorrow.' He said unwillingly.

'Sleep well, Chris.'

* * *

><p>He couldn't sleep. He saw their faces coming close, grabbing him with their huge arms, trying to kill him with their 'tongues'. He had these awful visions over the last two days. He got up and went to the fridge to get some water. He looked out the window. <em>Sheva?<em> He was surprised to see her up, sitting on the small porch outside of her cabin. She hadn't seen him. She got up, and then went inside.

He knocked at her door in three seconds.

'Chris?'

'I saw you were up. You okay?'

She smiled at the way he was concerned.

'Why not, Chris? It's just insomnia. I'm still tense.'

'Still thinking about your parents?'

'About all sorts of things, actually.' She lowered her eyes.

'It'll be all fine in the end, as you say.'

'I guess… Anyway, what are you doing still up?'

'Can't sleep either.' They both chuckled.

'Why is that?'

'Nightmares. And thinking about all sorts of things, too, actually.'

She gave him a beautiful and peaceful smile.

'Want to come in? I guess I could use you as a pillow a little bit more.'

Chris was surprised with her attitude. Sheva truly didn't look like the kind of woman who would easily put a new man on her bed. Maybe that wasn't exactly what she wanted.

And it wasn't. He lay down in bed with her and she rested her head on his shoulder again. She cuddled up like a child who goes to his parents' bed after having nightmares. She sadly whispered, almost inaudibly.

'Chris, tell me how to stop.'

'Stop what?'

'Thinking that I might have chosen the wrong path.'

He wasn't sure about what to say.

'Tell me if you find the answer for that, Shev…'

And they fell asleep together, emerged in their past, bitterness, and disillusions.

* * *

><p><em>Hope you guys like my new Sheva and Chris. I tried to build them a lot deeper in this stories. The truth is, we all have our share of angst and insecurity. Please review!<em>


	3. Revelations

Chris woke up early with the sunlight hitting his face sharply. He unwillingly opened his eyes and, to his surprise for a second, she was sleeping beside him. He tried to recall all the events from the previous night. He hadn't had sex with her, that was for sure. They just lay down and fell asleep together after their share of bitterness and doubts.

He remained still with her in his arms, not knowing what to do. Sheva might have sensed he was up and woke up immediately, a lot more surprised than Chris.

'Oh my God!' She exclaimed.

'Shh, calm down.' He pressed her lips. 'Nothing happened. We were just miserable and drunk, remember?' He smiled.

She was forcing herself to remember.

'We didn't…?'

'No, we didn't. But you asked me to be your 'pillow'.' He said teasingly.

She blushed like he never seen her blush before.

'I can't believe I did that…' She said slowly getting out of the bed.

'Ha ha. It's okay, Sheva. I was a little lonely myself too.'

'Chris. Seriously. I am sorry.'

'Well, I'm not.' He said confidently, putting his arms behind his head.

'You should. That's not… normal.' She said with a disapproving look in her face.

'Define normal.'

'It's not normal for a woman to sleep with a guy she barely knows because she was drunk and asked him to be her pillow! How embarrassing...' She walked around the room, really mad at herself.

Chris held his breath not to laugh.

'I'll tell you what. It's not normal for a young woman to be excellent with weapons, shoot perfectly up to 500ft, and kill 'zombies' for a living.'

He shut her up. He hadn't intended to be mean, but he just wanted her not to take things so seriously.

'So because that's what I do for a living, it means I could do anything?'

'Sheva,' he said seriously, 'that's not what I meant.' He took her hands. 'I'm just telling you that we never act the way people or society expects us to. Imagine what people would actually think of us if they saw us doing what we do. Cold and mad killers?'

He really tried to easy her down. She was so stubborn sometimes. He looked in her eyes sweetly and brushed her hair out of her face.

'I truly admire you. You're no ordinary girl. And I'm sorry I slept in your bed, ok?'

She sighed and lowered her head.

'I'm sorry, Chris. It's not your fault. It's just… it's been ages I don't wake up with a man by my side. It just freaked me out that I could have done something stupid because I was drunk.' She laughed at her own stupidity.

'Well, I got freaked out when I woke up and saw you, too.' He chuckled. 'But we just needed each other last night.'

She looked into his eyes, watching him for a long time. They heard a knock on the door. It was room service with breakfast for the honeymooners.

They couldn't help but laugh at the heart shaped basket with lots of fruit and food.

'Seriously? How can they not know we're actually agents on a mission?' Sheva asked.

'Maybe that was the point, we're under covered. So come have breakfast with me, 'wife'.'

They enjoyed their food as they cheerily talked about the stories they had shared by the fire the night before. Chris was so pleased with himself for, after a long ass time, being in such a good mood. She was the reason why, she would light up his darkest days. Listening to her talking yesterday by the fire had really done something to him. He couldn't stop being emerged in her eyes and lips. Her lips moved perfectly when she laughed, her hazel eyes would shut a little, and her nose would cutely wrinkle. She was so smoking hot, and yet so natural and simple.

But he had to concentrate on the mission. They would probably have a long day. He just hoped he didn't have to save her again like that. He was really scared by the thought she could be seriously hurt or dead now.

* * *

><p>Shots. Sweat. Blood. Bullets.<p>

That was reality.

Sheva was ruling with the guns that day. Her shots were absolutely precise and she hardly wasted ammo. It was not Chris's best day though. She had literally saved his ass twice. He was feeling wasted and tired with all that heat. He truly wished there was a/c on the streets.

Josh was really glad to hear that they had killed whatever seemed to be left. They had been walking around the area and hadn't found much. Sheva had destroyed everything she saw and Chris was really satisfied with her. Actually seeing her with a gun turned him on a lot, since the beginning. She had that sexy and dangerous look in her face that was probably not letting him concentrate.

'_Dismissed.'_

Josh said on the talkie at the end of their day. Chris felt emerged in a wave of relief.

'Damn, finally.'

'Yeah. Can't wait for another shower.'

'Any plans for tonight?' He asked hopefully.

'I don't think they're doing anything. I've been craving crab burgers lately, so I'll definitely have to eat them tonight.'

'Sounds interesting.'

'The best in town. Wanna come?'

'Why not?'

* * *

><p>'No f*** way…' Chris said.<p>

'What's the matter?'

'I'm a terrible dancer. I thought we were just getting burgers.'

Sheva laughed at her partner's embarrassment, while she drove them to the crab burger place, which also had a great dance party every Friday.'

'You don't have to dance, then, but I will, ha ha.'

Chris relaxed a bit more then.

'Well, I guess I won't mind the view.'

'Just one more thing…'

'What?'

'They hate Americans there.'

'What a surprise…' He said sarcastically.

'So you will definitely play my _hubby_ tonight.' She said teasing squeezing his cheek.

'So that they don't beat my ass out?'

'Kinda.'

'Ha ha. Man, I wanna go back home!'

'Don't be a weeper, Chris. You'll be fine under my wings.'

'Ok, now I'm a weeper who depends on his wife to be alive.'

'Considering that your 'wife' saved your ass today twice.'

Chris laughed.

'Drop it, Sheva!'

'Just accept the truth. And smile, we're newlyweds and we have to look happy, not miserable like yesterday.'

* * *

><p>She was mocking him in every possible way and he thought she was sexier than ever that night. They had gone back home, showered, and changed. He almost fell down from the rack he was sitting on when he saw her. <em>Couldn't her dress be just a little longer? Maybe calf length?<em>, Chris wondered. What a sight. How could he not stare at those round breasts and firm booty all the time?

_Couldn't he just stop wearing tight shirts that show his muscles off?_ She thought. _Ugh!_ She couldn't take her eyes off of his nice bum, either. She was begging God, Ala, or Buddha for mercy. But it was all her fault. She was the one seducing him in first place.

Chris had let out a sigh when she came close.

'You sure this outfit will actually pacify things out?'

'What are you talking about? That's how girls dress there.'

'Hum. Guys will be staring at you all night, begging me to start a fight.'

Sheva laughed.

'Don't worry, they see girls like me all the time. They won't stare.'

'Really? What's this place called anyway, 'Road to Paradise?'' _Stop flirting, Chris._

She couldn't help but laughing at his flirtatious comment.

'Redfield, I may have to report you for your naughty behavior.'

He couldn't shut his own mouth.

'You'd better wait till the end of the night, coz it'll get worse.'

'Oh my. I don't know if it was a good idea to partner with you after all.'

He couldn't believe his own actions. Was he on auto pilot mode? He was definitely saying a big fat 'fuck it' to his life now. He didn't want to care about missions, work, or depriving himself from relationships. Yes, he wanted her, and if she wanted him, he would have sex with her anytime. Simple like that.

* * *

><p>They arrived at the bar at around seven and were greeted at the door. Sheva was cheerily talking to the workers there in Swahili. She was playing the happy wife part, he thought. If only he could understand what she said in her language... It was clear that she looked a lot more natural and comfortable while speaking it.<p>

They sat at a small table, close to the bar, and Sheva ordered crab burgers right away. She cheerily talked to the waitress who was taking the orders and they both giggled like two school girls.

'You didn't ask me if I like crab.' He said, grabbing a beer from another waiter.

'You don't? How can you not like crabs?'

'Well, Americans are picky.' He said smiling and drinking his beer.

'Americans are spoiled.' She smiled. 'I learned that I had to eat whatever was on the table, especially after my parents died. You have no idea of all sorts of food I've tried. Ha ha.'

'Will that help if I know?'

'It would make you think crab burgers are as good as _meatloaf and mashed potatoes_.' She made a yucky face as she talked about American food and he laughed.

It was funny that their cultural differences were so visible sometimes.

'By the way, what was so funny?'

'What are you talking about?'

'You and the waitress.'

'Ha ha, you don't want to know.'

'I do, indeed. You were both laughing and looking at me.'

'I have to do my job, you know. I'm easing things down here by making jokes.'

'What did you joke about?'

'Hum. She asked me how the honeymoon was going so far…'

'And I thought Americans were nosy.'

'…and… she wanted to know how good you were in bed.'

He raised an eyebrow, curiously.

'Is that so? What did you say?'

'I said I've had better ones…'

'That's so mean.' He smiled, shaking his head and sipping his drink.

'but…', she said, completing, 'you definitely had the biggest 'tool' I've ever seen.'

He choked his beer and she laughed like she hadn't in ages.'

'And you're the one reporting me? Damn, Sheva. You're such a thing, you know. But anyway, thanks for the compliment.' He winked.

She stopped laughing and just merrily stared in his eyes. He also silenced, letting the music be the only sound they could hear.

He could see guys staring at him in a curious and questioning way. But he didn't care at all. He was with her. _God, I want her so bad right now._

* * *

><p>Chris never thought he would fall in love with a crab burger someday. Being in Africa was helping him in many ways. He was seeing a completely different world with nice people, food, and experiences. And Sheva was definitely the best of it.<p>

'I told you so!' She exclaimed when he gave thumbs up to the food.

'A big fat 'I told you so', right? I deserve it.'

'Well, Mr. Redfield. Maybe it's time you tried different things in life, especially now that you're getting older.'

He raised his eyebrow again.

'Thanks for reminding me of that. Ha ha'

'I'm teasing you. You're not old at all.'

'I guess I shouldn't listen to you, since Josh said you like lecherous old men.'

She gasped, pretending to be surprised with his answer.

'It's not true… Just because I dated a guy who was double my age, it doesn't mean he was lecherous.'

'Right…' Chris commented sarcastically.

'Are you a perv?'

'Me? Why?' He chuckled.

'Because I can see the way you were staring at my legs. Bad boy.' She said teasingly, shaking her head as if she was disapproving.

'You put on a dress that looks more like a bathing suit and you want me to do what?'

She smiled at his sincerity.

'That's ok, Redfield. You're not that old for me at all, considering that I've been a dangerous and experienced armed woman since I was 15.'

'Yes, you definitely look older', she raised her eyebrow and he completed, 'in a nice way. And stop calling me Redfield because it sounds like I'm a lecherous old dude.'

'Ok, Chris, ha ha. I'll tell you what. You're one of the most interesting American men I've met.'

'Why not the most interesting?' He said, getting closer to her face.

'Because you're so cocky and sure of yourself sometimes.' She said, getting even closer.

That was his chance. He grabbed her face with his hands and smacked a kiss on her lips. She gasped in surprise.

'What the hell was that?'

'Playing the role, Sheva. How come we're newlyweds and we never kissed?'

'Hum,' She looked at him maliciously. 'Maybe I should still report you.'

'I doubt you want to.' He shot back, sensually rubbing his thumb on her cheek.

She liked that. It had been a long time she didn't go out with a hotshot like Chris. They stared at each other for a while, and she definitely saw he was on flames. Well, so was she.

They gladly ate their burgers, watching people dance to an intense and fast African music.

By the time they finished their meal, Sheva was tapping her feet, humming to the rhythm of the song, and smiling at him.

'Answer is no.' Chris said, reading her mind.

'Oh, come on, dance with me.'

'I wish I could, but I can't dance.'

'All men say that.'

'I can't dance. Not vertically.'

'Hell, Chris, stop being such a perv. Alright, so I guess I should pick another dance partner.'

She got up to walk to the dance floor, but he grabbed her hand.

'Another partner?'

'Of course, I need to dance. Ha ha.'

'No way it's going to happen. The way people are dancing over there suggests that someone will definitely make a pass on you.'

'Ha ha, not really, Chris. They're usually husband and wives, or boyfriend and girlfriend, that's why. Look,' she pointed to an old man dancing alone on the floor. 'I'll dance with him, if you don't mind. You don't think he will put his hands under my dress, do you?'

Chris smiled and teased her again.

'Not really. And you had to pick an old man.'

'Chris Redfield, will you stop it?'

She kissed his forehead gently and left, smiling at him.

He couldn't remember the last time he had so much fun. Watching her dance with the short old man was hilarious. He was probably around eighty and definitely loved to dance. Apparently, everyone knew him there and they were all glad when he and Sheva hit the floor. Chris opened his mouth surprised when he firmly grabbed Sheva by her waist and pulled her close to him. Sheva laughed and said something on the man's ear. He easily made her spin and moved restless around her.

'That son of a bitch can dance.' Chris caught himself saying it aloud.

Everyone was clapping and cheering and by the time the music was over, Sheva was sweating and gasping, out of breath. She kissed the old man on the head and went back to Chris, who was stunned by the 'performance'.

'See? Even that guy could dance.'

'Damn it. I'm screwed.'

She was naturally perfect at that moment. He loved it when she laughed and her eyes were so filled with joy. He couldn't listen to what she was saying anymore. He just wanted to kiss those lips so bad.

The music changed to a slower tune. Sheva naughtily looked at him again, pleading him. He chuckled and raised his hands up, surrendering.

'Ok, Shev. I'll dance that one with you. But just one.'

'Yay!' She clapped her hands cheerily, dragging him to the floor.

He placed his hands around her waistline and she let her arms fall over his shoulder. Her head was slightly tilted to the side, and it looked as if she wanted to say something to him. He smiled, locked in her eyes.

'What now?'

'Nothing,' she answered, comfortably resting her head on his chest.

He gently rubbed his hands over her back, up and down, feeling the softness of her skin. As they moved slowly, side to side, he placed his chin on the top of her head, lazily closing his eyes. He thought he could stay like that forever.

She didn't want to look up. She wanted to stay warm, resting on his chest. But she felt his hands cupping her face, lifting it up.

'You're so beautiful, you know that?' Chris honestly said the words that were in his heart.

'And you're sweet.' She answered, smiling. 'It's hard to believe you're that same guy I met last week.'

'Why is that?'

'You never smiled. Actually you did when you first met me, but you smiled with your eyes.'

'I was stunned by your presence. You didn't look so hot in the BSAA files.'

'You didn't look that great, either. But there you were, Mr. Hotshot Redfield. '_Just call me Chris._'', she said, mockingly imitating his stud voice.

'Ha ha, I don't talk like that.'

'Sometimes you do, trust me.'

He gazed at her intently and decided to move on.

'Can I kiss you?' He asked her.

She didn't seem surprised at all.

'Sure, people must be wondering why we never kiss.'

'I'm not playing a part. I really want to kiss you right now.'

She was surprised with his words.

'Hum. Are you sure?'

'Lately, I haven't been sure of anything in my life. But I do know I want to kiss you.'

She let him cup her face with his warm big hands and gave him an approving look. He smiled and neared her, inch by inch. Their lips softly touched and she let out a light moan. He pulled her a little closer to him and kissed her firmly, but not so provocatively, since they weren't alone. However, it didn't feel like they were around so many people. If felt like they were at the beach, like the night before.

He had to stop kissing her after a while or it would get a little weird.

'Can we go somewhere?'

'Why?'

He looked around and back at her.

'Look at these people, they won't stop watching us.'

She gave one of her best natural and sweet smiles.

'They're glad, Chris. They like to see happy couples.'

'Hum. Maybe.'

'You Americans don't like to express feelings in public, right?'

'Guess not.'

'Well, here we kiss all the time. We are very warm and people think kissing is so natural.'

'You're really warm.' He sensually whispered on her ears.

'You're warm too. I noticed when I first slept on your shoulder.'

They hugged each other and remained on the dance floor, dancing slowly. They looked so happy that nobody could ever guess they were not a couple of honeymooners.

* * *

><p>Chris held Sheva's hand as they walked out of the bar. On the way out, the same waitress who had teased them before came to Sheva again and whispered something on her ear, making her blush and laugh at the same time.<p>

'Oh oh.' Chris commented. 'That can't be good.'

'It's nothing.' She said, laughing.

'Nothing my ass. Ha ha.'

'Hum. She just said we look cute together and we should go home and make some cute babies.'

He stopped walking and opened his mouth, shocked, while she laughed sheepishly.

'No kidding she said that.'

'Yeah, she did.'

'Are all Africans so intimate with strangers?'

'Not really. I guess they make these jokes here because of the area's purpose.'

'Hum,' he rubbed his chin. 'You know it's not a bad idea at all?'

'What?'

'Making babies.'

Sheva hit his chest playfully, laughing at his pervert mood.

'No, seriously. It would be amazing to actually _practice_ making babies, not having them.'

'Chris Redfield. You're impossible today.'

'I warned you I would be. Now you can make a full report. But I must say I should also be reporting you for inappropriate behavior and provocative clothing tonight.'

'Are you serious?'

'Serious about what?'

'Do you want to sleep with me, Chris?' She asked, looking fixedly in his eyes, changing the topic of their conversation.

He was so astonished by how honestly she asked that question that he became speechless for a while.

'Sheva,' he said looking into her eyes. 'I prefer to let things lead the way. But I'd lie if I said I don't want you.'

'I see.' She gasped, and then continued. 'Chris, I'm really attracted to you, honestly. I'm just scared of how close we're getting in such little time.'

He squeezed her hand gently and brought it to his lips.

'I know, Shev, I know. You think I don't feel the same?'

She stared at him for a moment.

'Sheva. You know how tough I can look. So imagine trying to be tough all these years. Never being able to commit with anyone, never having a personal life.' He sighed and continued. 'After coming here, finding Jill, seeing her safe, and killing Wesker, I decided to start thinking differently'.

'What do you mean?'

'I want to do what I want and not care about the consequences.'

She lowered her eyes, while they slowly walked towards the car.

'You know, Chris, sometimes I want to do that too. But unfortunately, we always end up hurting people.'

He stopped walking and looked at her seriously.

'Would it hurt you if I made love to you?'

She let out a weak smile.

'No, it's not like that. It would hurt me really bad once you left.'

He was under the impression of seeing tears in her eyes. He cupped her face with his hands.

'It would hurt me too, you know.'

They hugged emotionally, and he sweetly kissed her head tenderly.

'I haven't been in a relationship for ages, Shev, and it's hard to imagine what it would be like now that I'm old and fucked up. But I don't want to think about it tonight.' He lifted her face up to meet her eyes. 'Tell me something.'

'What, Chris?' She whispered.

'We have two options. We can walk away now, stop the flirtatious talks, and enjoy our friendship, for the rest of our lives. Or we could be together and make it eternal while it lasts.'

She was mesmerized by his words. She kissed him with passion and purpose, running her fingers through his hair.

'Chris.' She called.

'Yes.'

'Option 2.'

He smiled, deeply satisfied with her choice.

'I was going to pick that one too.'

'But I want to make it last for as much as I can.'

'Me too, baby, me too.'

* * *

><p>They entered her room quickly, consumed by the desire and heat coming from inside their bodies.<p>

They kissed desperately and almost savagely. They needed each other so much and they knew they could have very little time to enjoy their lives together. He pressed her against the wall, kissing her neck and lowering his warm lips down to her chest. She moaned at the feeling of his mouth on her skin and rapidly lowered her dress so that he could kiss her hard sweet nipples. She was melting under his wetness.

He moaned when she slid her hand inside his pants and rubbed his arousal, slowly, firmly.

'I want you so bad.'

'I want you, too, Chris.'

He followed her lead and slid his hand into her dress, getting rid of her panties. She pressed her back against the wall, thinking that it could tumble down anytime of so much pressure. He fingered her tenderly and slowly, making her moan his name in a low weak voice. After a long share of kisses, hands, and tongues, Chris managed to ask:

'Where are the boxes of condoms you talked about?' He managed to ask.

'In the closet.'

'How many are there?'

'Three. Why do you ask? We won't use that much.'

'Yes, we may.' He whispered on her ear.

She playfully giggled at his horny words while he kissed her earlobe.

He grabbed her by her tight butt and lifted her up, letting her wrap her legs around him. She was fascinated at how easily he could carry her, but she needed to consider that he was almost double her weight. He carefully placed her on the bed and let her remove his belt and his pants, while he was still standing. His shirt was on the floor already, somehow. He moaned at the feeling of her mouth on his member. He hadn't had that in years. She gently swallowed it, while running her fingers on his bottom.

She still had her dress on and he took it off easily, staring at her stunning naked body. He quickly went to the closet and got what he wanted, putting it on right away. She couldn't help but stare at his amazing naked body. His member was grandly erect and ready for her.

They really had no clue why they were in such a hurry and hunger for each other. It felt like they were dying of thirst in a desert and had just seen water.

'Chris…'

'Yes,' he answered in anticipation.

'I want you inside me.' She whispered.

He slowly covered her body with his, kissing her neck gently. His member quickly found his way in and she cried at the feeling of him going inside her, inch by inch. He also moaned her name on her ears, as he pushed himself deeper and deeper inside her.

They cried out of pleasure together, looking at each others eyes fiercely and knowing that, after that night, they could not easily be apart.

* * *

><p>She watched his breathing calm down, with her face glued on his naked chest.<p>

'You're so smooth.' He managed to say after all, rubbing his fingers on her back.

She placed her chin on his chest and looked up at him, with tender and passionate eyes.

'Thanks, Chris.'

'For what?'

'For being who you are with me.'

He grinned and responded, sweetly.

'No need to thank me for anything. You also gave a lot. I can't remember the last time I felt like this.'

'I_ never_ felt like this.'

'What about 'Mr. Clean Feet'?'

She let out a soft laugh.

'Nope.'

_I care so much about her, damn it_. _What am I going to do?_ Chris asked himself, melted in her eyes. He decided not to think of anything. He didn't want to ruin their first night. He also knew that, even though he had been with many other women, no one was like her. She was exotic, beautiful, smart, sexy, _wow_, so many words could describe her. Perfect was the best one.

'You're perfect.'

'No, Chris, I'm not.'

'Yes, you are.'

'I'm quite bitter.'

'So am I.'

'I dream too much sometimes.'

'Dreaming is good for you. It helps you to get away from this stupid life.'

'But when they don't come true, I get all moody and bitchy.'

'Ha ha. I've seen that. But still, you were perfect.'

'You have a weird taste for women.'

'And you for men. Old, pervert, and cocky ones.'

She laughed.

'You're right. I always picked the wrong ones. Hope I made the right choice, now.'

'Am I your choice?' He asked pulling her close to his face and searching for her lips.

'What do you think? Do you believe I actually sleep with a guy I don't want to keep?'

He stared firmly at her hazel and inquiring eyes.

'You definitely don't look like that type of girl.'

They made love again and again, all night long. After the stormy ardent sex they had first, they went slower and slower, enjoying every second of their lovemaking. Chris covered her with passionate kisses. He didn't know why he was feeling so doped by the scent of her body. She also moved around him restlessly and curiously, letting her fingertips explore every part of him. To be in a man's arms had never felt so perfect in her life.

They rested their heads on the pillow facing each other, their noses almost touching. She could feel his breathing closely and that made her fall asleep peacefully. He touched her face delicately and kissed her nose lightly.

'Good night, my love.'

And he promised himself he would never leave her.

* * *

><p><em>Hot, hot, hot! I told you that this Chris and Sheva were a lot more daring and sensual! lol Please review!<em>


	4. Ethereal

'Good morning', she said with a bright smile while she ate her breakfast.

Chris thought he was still dreaming and it took him a while to realize Sheva was there, watching him with curious and tender eyes.

'Hey.' He said, smiling back. 'What time is it?'

'Time to go soon.' She replied, her face saddening a little.

'Shev, why didn't you wake me up?' He asked, raising his body on his elbow and kissing her forehead.

'You slept like a baby. It's early, Chris, it would have be mean to wake you up.'

Chris just stared at her, feeling inebriated by her perfume and essence. The night before was definitely the best night he had spent with a woman. It was sexy, sensual, and breathtaking. He never thought he still had it. He'd done things he thought he couldn't do anymore, he felt like he was only eighteen and full of gas. At the same time, it was sweet, passionate, and romantic. He had unnoticeably fallen asleep in her arms. He sure needed that.

Sheva also felt relieved and as light as a feather. Good sex could really make a difference in her mood. It was not only sex, though. Chris had showed her more warmth and care than any other boyfriend she'd ever had. When they were making love, he searched for the most sensitive spots on her body, the ones that would give her the most pleasure. He was unselfish and natural. She knew she was in love with him, there was no way out.

'Did Josh contact you yet?'

'Yes, we'll meet in two hours downtown.'

'Why downtown?'

'He didn't explain why. Apparently there are more infected there than anywhere else.'

'So we're leaving.' He couldn't hide the disappointment in his voice. He knew the easy work was over and now they had to leave that place. He would miss the two nights he spent with Sheva there. She also lowered her eyes sadly.

'Yes.'

'Hey, come here.' He searched for her arms and she curled up with him in bed. 'You know we can do this anywhere, right?'

She chuckled, disappointed.

'Yeah.'

'I'm also sad our 'honeymoon' is over here. But remember what we promised yesterday?'

'Yes, Chris.'

'It will last as long as we can make it last.'

'Yeah', she said pensively, 'Eternal while it lasts…' She paused for a moment. 'I care so much about you, Chris.'

She mentioned those words with such intense fire in her eyes, as if she had never told something so true before. Chris felt his body burning with a feeling he didn't quite figure out what it was yet.

'I care so much about you too, honey.'

They kissed each other deeply, involving themselves in a net of passion, fear, insecurity, and uncertainty.

The more he thought about leaving her, the more he wanted her. He just couldn't do it. He wanted to wake up every morning and see her beside him. He desperately kissed her and moved his hands all over her body, as if it was his last chance to touch her. He didn't know, so he wouldn't take the chance of not having a little bit more of her.

He also didn't know how he could act so fast when he had her underneath him. It seemed that in seconds he had her completely naked under his warm body. He was on auto pilot again and couldn't control his thoughts or actions.

'I want you so bad.' He cried out almost desperately, steadily thrusting inside her.

'Me, too.' She gasped in a moan, desire flushing all over her face.

Their bodies worked together as if they were magnets, born to be connected.

'Hope I'm not being too harsh on you,' he whispered on her ear.

'No, I love the way you do it. It's perfect.'

'I just can't get enough of you…' He said in a thoughtful way, his movements slowing down inside her.

'I'll never get enough of you, Chris.'

Their eyes met and their breathing sounded tense and fast, as they thought about what had been said. He stopped thrusting, still inside her. Realization came to their faces almost simultaneously.

'Sheva, is that what's going on?'

She bit her lower lip, reading his thoughts, as usual. She confidently responded.

'I guess so, Chris. I love you.'

She could see his beautiful blue eyes wrinkling lightly, as if they grinned.

'I love you, too.'

_Wow. That was it._ They had both realized the reason why they had been so uneasy and insecure. Love. Chris felt he had removed a 300 pound bag off of his back. He whispered he loved her multiple times in her ear while he thrust inside her, assuring himself that he wasn't dreaming and letting her know he was actually serious about it. They came up to a sitting position, still connected, eyes still locked into each other's. She confidently moved up and down, pressing his member inside her and making him moan while his lips were glued to her breast. Sheva felt happy and satisfied now that she had spilled out what was in her chest. She had done what she wanted and it was too late to care about the consequences now.

He cried out her name when he reached an orgasm. She had gone multiple times, so she still looked dazzled and doped.

'Chris.' She called as he dropped his heavy body on her.

'Yes.' He said, recovering his breath on top of her.

'We've got a bigger problem now besides being late for our mission today.'

'What?'

'How the hell are we going to stop this fire?'

* * *

><p>Sheva and Chris met Josh and the crew downtown punctually. They didn't actually know how they made it, but they did. After making love, they rushed to get ready and soon enough they hopped in the hummer. Chris drove fast and confidently. They knew they had to concentrate on the mission and they couldn't let the emotions take their minds over at that moment.<p>

Chris gently squeezed her hand while driving. Her eyes were cloudy and distant, and it was hard to see what she was thinking. But he knew.

Sheva felt like a child that had been pushed away from cotton candy. She still felt hungry for Chris's warmth and touch. She had lost so much in life. After losing her parents, she lost her childhood and had to watch for herself. She could count on her mind the few moments she had felt happy in her miserable life. The thought of Chris made her uneasy in so many ways. She wanted him like never wanted any other man before. He had so much that she wanted. He had surprised her with his personality; he wasn't the rude asshole she thought he could be. He was loyal, experienced, and caring. And he could also make her body burn with desire.

She felt tears fill her eyes and shook her head to the side, trying to make them stop. She definitely didn't want him to see her like that. She felt his warm touch on her hand.

'Hey.'

'Hey.' She replied, meeting his eyes.

'Don't be sad. We'll figure out. Do you think it'll be easy for them to take you away from me?'

She smiled at his honest remark as he continued.

'They'd better send me a thousand soldiers to stop me.'

'Chris. Seriously. Life can take us in different ways. It's like this road. It might take you east or west, you never know.'

'Except that I am driving, honey.' He confidently said, gazing her deeply.

Sheva got the message and felt relieved and blessed to have Chris fighting for their love. He meant he would control his life and he would do everything to keep her. _One step at a time, Sheva_, she thought to herself.


	5. Breakdown

Dust rose up from their shoes as they walked into the ruins of a factory in Kijuju. Chris felt a rush of memories pour over his mind. He hated that city so bad, so much had happened there. But that place hadn't been visited by anyone from Josh's crew yet. Chris and Sheva hadn't been there either, they were sure about that.

The smell of rotten meat still surrounded the place. Some people were working in the factory and stared at them with unwelcoming eyes. They knew what was going on and they didn't want intruders. They somehow knew they wouldn't be infected. They apparently had their rules, and the 'creatures' probably weren't allowed around the factory workers.

Chris was kept in the middle of the circle. He was definitely the easy target there. American, Caucasian, authoritarian air. All they did not need at the moment was more hostility from the uninfected.

Josh led the team towards the main building in the factory. As he opened the door, he was surprised to see no one working there. Intel had sent him messages, alerting him of a possible 'situation'. He was not sure of what that meant, but he knew his job was moving the team forward. They were ready, and couldn't wait to finish that stupid mission. _Today is finally the day this shit ends._ Josh had told the team earlier. Chris thought he was a great leader. He wasn't arrogant or mean like his previous superior. He felt that Sheva and he could be a lot safer around Josh. Chris would never forget the moment that Josh shot the creatures on the bikes from a hell of a distance, saving Sheva and he. If it wasn't for Josh, they would be both dead.

They walked through the building silently, exploring every single room and trying to listen to something, but all they could hear was the sound of their own breathing. Josh had intently decided not to split. It would have been better for the group to stay together. He had way too many losses, lots of his comrades had died and he couldn't quite forgive himself, even though it hadn't been his entire fault, but BSAA's, which didn't seem to give a damn about people's life. Josh had surprised his superior by alleging that the North American branch was always a lot more careful, but since they were in Africa, the British headquarters didn't see to give a damn about their lives as much. His superior didn't reply. He knew he was true and there was nothing they could do. They were still under BSAA's wings.

But Josh Stone wanted to change that. He had ambition and strong will. He trusted his team. Sheva was definitely his most reliable member and he had trained her to be who she was. He truly wished he had someone like Chris in the team, as well, but that would be utopia. The guy just didn't belong to that place. He was there for gratitude, initially, and then he had stayed for her. Josh knew what was going on between them. It was clear in their eyes. He cared too much about her and he had stayed because he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if something bad happened to Sheva. He just feared that he could lose his little sister to that 'mountain of muscles', he had thought to himself, chuckling. But he knew how miserable her life had been. He was the only friend she had shared her life with. She needed a break. Josh initially liked her in a different way, but then their lives took them into different directions. She needed a protector, a friend. He needed a more experienced woman that could watch for herself. He wouldn't cope with the stress of taking care of his girlfriend and hoping that she would never die. Then he ended up falling in love with someone as strong in personality as Sheva, but she was a teacher. _The least dangerous of the jobs_, he had considered. Eventually he would settle down and have kids, but now he wanted to end all that. And he would do that for Sheva and all their fallen brothers. They were his real family and Africa was his home. And he would save it.

* * *

><p>They heard a distant gun shot. <em>Where would that be?<em> They asked each other without words, their eyes talking.

Words were shouted in Swahili. Sheva, Boya, Gota, and Josh shared a common look, as understanding flushed through their faces. Chris, Jones, and Mendez begged for an explanation.

'Outside. Now.'

It was all Josh said, firmly, but intending not be heard. They flew out of the door as fast as they could. They could feel the wave of heat brushing their backs as they jumped down on the ground. Boya instinctively protected Sheva by jumping behind her. Chris felt the weight of his body hit the bumpy floor hardly and used his lower arms to support himself and avoid fractures.

'What the fuck is going on?' Jones shouted out.

'Shhh… shut the fuck up, Jones!' Josh retorted angrily.

'Nice way to welcome us. A trap.' Gota said in a low voice, sarcastically.

'Guys,' Josh interrupted. 'There could be thousands of them here. According to Intel, they all moved to this area to get stronger, since there might not any left behind. Watch for yourselves, brothers.' His look was fearful and serious.

Sheva shook with Josh's words. She always thought he was way too confident, but she wasn't sure anymore.

* * *

><p>They came slowly, hungrily, and recklessly. Chris would say there were around a hundred of them. Most held knives, but some had guns. Josh looked over the roofs, where the shooters would usually hide.<p>

'Chris, the roofs.' He commanded.

They pointed their guns and precisely shot the snipers down. Sheva and the rest of the group fought with the wanderers and were easily knocking them down. She knew she shouldn't do that, but she had to check for Chris once in a while.

Chris would look for roofs and hidden places where they could shoot from. But his eyes would betray him and stare back at her. She was so skilled, fast, and precise. He had never stopped to look how she was on combat. Her action was outstanding; she was probably the fastest of the group. He couldn't let anyone hit her or the guys. He had to end this mission and that was the day to do it.

Screams, blood, bullets. Everything over and over again.

* * *

><p>At first he felt something burning on the top of his right chest and thought someone could have thrown flames on it, but nothing serious. Then he felt consumed by a sharp pain and the world started spinning around him.<p>

'Chris!' Josh desperately cried out when he saw him falling. They had been hiding behind a wall and he didn't know who had shot him and where it had come from. He instinctively carried Chris's heavy body over somewhere safer and browsed around to look for the shooter. He spotted the tall figure on the top of ceiling, getting ready to hide.

'No way you're getting away with that, you son of a bitch.'

His AR15 shot the creature accurately. Once the danger was over, he ran back to Chris and found him bleeding, his eyes open and astonished.

'Chris, man, are you alright?' Josh asked, opening his friend's shirt to see his wound. It was on the right side of his chest, close to the shoulder. At least it wasn't on the left side, he thought. 'Chris, hold on, we'll take care of that.' He grabbed his talkie. 'Boya, come to the green wall now. We need your help.'

Sheva heard Josh's voice talking to her new partner.

'Josh, what happened?'

'_Sheva, stay where you are now.'_

She cried out.

'What happened? Say it!'

'_Chris got shot but he'll be fine.'_

Whoever said that blood temperature was not easily altered was full of crap. Sheva felt as if she had been thrown in an ice lake and was slowly being petrified and couldn't breathe anymore.

She rushed to where they were standing and heard her comrades' voices calling her name. She knew she was doing something stupid but she didn't care, she had to see him. They had lied to her many times about a comrade's state, so that she could still go on in the mission. They couldn't lie to her, though; she had to see Chris with her own eyes.

'Josh, I couldn't keep her here. I'm also heading there now. Don't worry, Jones said it's all under control here.' Boya alerted.

'_Copy that.'_

Josh knew nobody in this world could stop Sheva Alomar from doing what she wanted. And she wanted Chris.

'Chris…' She said almost sobbing when she saw him sitting against the wall.

'Sheva, what the hell you're doing here?' He managed to say, trying to look still and well to her.

'Oh my God…' She said when she spotted the blood on his shirt.

He looked at her firmly and whispered.

'Sheva, calm yourself down. I'll be fine. Josh asked for help, we're almost done here.'

'You can't wait, Chris, we have to get you to a hospital now.'

'I'll be fine, I'm always fine.' He let out a weak but confident smile.

'No time for you to be a cocky son of a bitch, Chris.'

She heard Boya shooting from a certain distance, protecting them, but nothing that seemed serious. Josh had headed back to the center of the factory to make sure the snipers were gone.

'I won't die, Sheva.'

'Don't even mention that word. You can never f*** die on me, ok?' Her tone was rude and desperate at the same time.

He chuckled weakly.

'You're not being so nice to me, considering your partner has been shot.'

She looked fiercely in his eyes, emotion flushing through her beautiful face.

'I love you, Chris. I can never lose you. Please don't ever leave me.' Her words struck him with a mix of commotion and sorrow. Tears fell restlessly from her eyes.

'I won't, Sheva. I promised myself yesterday I wouldn't leave you.'

* * *

><p>At least, it was all over. A helicopter was sent and they managed to get Chris out of there as soon as they could. Josh dismissed Sheva right away, alleging that she had disobeyed orders. But he truly just wanted her to be close to her partner, something that BSAA would never be able to understand. She wouldn't be able to concentrate on the mission anyhow.<p>

The five men proudly stood back to mission. They ruled and fought proudly and fiercely. Boya got hit on the leg but it was nothing really serious. It was actually a miracle that only one of Josh's team was really hurt. Josh thought that they could all die after the explosion. But he had been right. It was the day the work was going to be done.

* * *

><p>She walked restlessly, side to side, in the hospital waiting area. Her finger hurt after she had bit all her nails off. He was on surgery and she knew that sometimes things could go wrong. She decided to sit down and do the last thing she thought she would do: pray. God, Ala, or whoever was up there had to listen to her. She didn't know why she had so much atonement in her life. Could He at least keep Chris safe? She promised she would do anything to see him healthy again, even if she had to leave him, she would. She just wanted him to live. She couldn't imagine the world without Chris Redfield.<p>

* * *

><p>His eyes fluttered, opening little by little. All he could see was her, watching him anxiously, waiting for a response. She looked so tense that he felt he needed to break the ice.<p>

'Is it heaven here?'

'Get a grip, Chris. How can you joke after that? Do you realize you almost died?'

'It wouldn't be so bad if there were angels like you up there.' He chuckled, teasing her.

She huffed angrily at his remark, but soon stared at him with eyes filled with commotion again.

'Sorry, Shev. I'm just trying to make you smile.'

'How can you care about my smile right now? It doesn't matter how I feel.'

'Yes, it does.' He stated, fully smiling at her. 'I love you.'

She grabbed his hand and brought it to her face. She loved and hated his unselfish attitude at the same time.

'I love you, too, Chris, but we should be focusing on you now.'

'Am I going to be alright?'

'Yes, thanks God. Those were the longest three hours I ever had in my life.'

'Are you and the guys okay?'

'Yes, we are all fine. I guess the guys are finishing the work up there.'

A nurse came in and told Sheva that Chris would be given something for pain and would probably sleep for the rest of the night. Sheva said she didn't mind and she would say there.

'You can't stay here, ma'am.'

'Hell yes, I can.' She said, raising her voice. 'There's no f* way you guys will keep a dangerous and armed killer away from this damn room.' She responded furiously, scaring the nurse.

'Hum, I guess I can let the doctors know you'll be here. But you do need to change your clothes.'

'Whatever. I just won't leave him here alone.'

Chris was astonished with her passionate and ardent quarrel with the nurse. She was there, guarding him and he wasn't quite used to a woman embracing him with that sort of protection. He had always been the one caring for them. But he liked that she protected him. She was so loving and sure of herself.

'Damn, Sheva, what the hell was that?' Chris asked when the nurse walked out.

'I hate when people tell me what to do. I want to stay here, I will stay here. End of story.' She grabbed her hospital gown and was walking towards the bathroom.

'Well, it would be also fun to watch you change from here.' He said with a stud smile.

'Chris, it's unbelievable how fucked up you are now and you're still thinking of me naked.'

'Sorry, can't help it.' He said, lazily, closing his eyes.

He fell asleep in a matter of seconds after taking his medication. Even though she felt exhausted, she never left his side. She watched him the whole night. But how could she ever feel he would be safe when she wasn't around? It was a tough question. Maybe she knew he would never be fully safe. But she would have to believe his promise: he would never leave her alone.

* * *

><p>Please review! ;)<p> 


	6. Projections

_Josh_

He felt tired and fed up at the end of the mission. It had taken longer than he thought, but he was done now. After Chris was hurt and Josh got him out of that blood arena, he went back to fight fiercely for revenge. Not only revenge for Chris, but also for all of his brothers who had been hurt or passed.

He knew he could never be the hero who would save the world, and he didn't intend, too. But he wanted justice. And he made peace with his mind while he shot the last creatures down.

Josh was supposed to be received with honors when he got back with his crew. However, he blew everybody off by saying there was nothing to celebrate or to be proud of, since their work was never going to be fully done. There were lots of people out there still suffering and he would not accept any honors until they cared more about their agents and gave them the same assistance and respect that the ones from the American and British branches received. He put them all to silence and simply walked in to his humble quarters.

Sheva heard about his speech and was filled with pride. She admired Josh for being just and sensible. He would never be the type of person who would change because of power influence, money, or anything else. He was uncorrupt and clean.

Later on that day, he received a phone call and minutes later he was about to get a promotion. He didn't care for the money, but he did want to be in charge of many things at BSAA. And he would be. Maybe life was smiling at him now.

* * *

><p><em>Chris<em>

Chris felt a sharp pain after he was shot, but it wasn't physical. He knew he was wounded but he panicked at the thought of dying too fast. He actually never cared about dying before because he had nothing to lose. The only reason he would go easy on himself and took some extra care of his body was because of Claire. But besides Claire, he thought about someone else now. He thought of Sheva.

Those were the longest minutes of his life. He had been shot before, but he hadn't minded at all. His personal wounds were way too more painful than the feeling of a bullet digging into his flesh.

He hoped that Josh wouldn't say a thing. He really didn't want her to see him like that. There was a little bit of pride involved, too, he knew. He had always been the one trying to protect his friends and family and now he was there, helpless and hurt on the floor. He felt an even sharper pain when she came running to him. The look on her face was indescribable, a mix of pain, horror, and desperation. What wouldn't he give to calm her down at that moment? He would even consider giving his own life if he could see her calm and pacified again. Her pleading eyes terrified him a lot more than the burn on his chest. He prayed while she begged him to stay with her_. God, don't let me go yet. Let me stay, for her_. He knew she had no one in her life and it wouldn't be fair for her to lose the one she cared about.

He just remembered being taken to the hospital by helicopter. He woke up and truly considered he could be dead. His vision was still blurry and he could smell a nice flowered scent in the room. It was her smell, though. He had joked, relieved he wasn't gone. She was so nervous and he needed to tell her he was fine so that he could see her beautiful smile again. And he did. _Heaven_.

He woke up on the next day and he saw her again, faithfully by his side. She looked so tired that it made him mad. He argued about her staying there. She should have gone home and had some decent sleep, he would be fine. She fought back saying that she still wasn't sure if he would be fine so she had decided to stay. Their first fight, hot and passionate by a hospital bed, he thought. She leaned her body by his bed and gently kissed him on his lips. She said it didn't matter how much he would still beg her to step back, she wouldn't leave because she loved him and wanted to make sure he would stay well for her. Her words brought tears to his eyes, which had been so dry all those damn difficult years. He took her hand and kissed it lightly, absorbing the taste of her skin. He told her he loved her more than she could imagine. She beautifully smiled and said proudly that she believed him.

He was discharged later on that day and she walked out with him. Josh was waiting for them outside and gave Chris a warm welcoming hug. He couldn't remember being hugged like that by any his fellow agents. He really loved that African warmth and he would definitely miss the people he had met there. His mission was over now and he couldn't help thinking of the future. He was really nervous about it. _Eternal while it lasts_, he thought of his words. Was it over now?

* * *

><p><em>Sheva<em>

She couldn't describe the pain she was feeling when they got in Josh's car. She had felt pain after knowing he had been shot; when he was on surgery; when the nurse changed his bandage; when he woke up and tried to show her that he was fine when she knew he was still in pain; when she helped him walk out of hospital; but mostly when she realized it could be time for him to leave.

His eyes locked on hers through the car's side mirror. It seemed they were having a conversation. He wanted to assure her that it would be all fine, he would find a way. She sighed, feeling hopeless and weak.

They all went back to their quarters as they all needed some rest. Sheva quickly got rid of her clothes and went straight to shower. The hot water burned her skin as if it was healing it. There was no spot on her body that didn't hurt. And it didn't hurt because of the mission, but because of everything that had happened. Tears fell from her eyes unstoppably and she couldn't recall the last time she had cried like that. She felt deserted and lost again. She knew it wouldn't be fair to not let Chris go. He had a career, a life mission. A mission he had set before he met her. He wanted to make the world a better place, just like Josh did. They were idealists, dreamers, warriors. She shouldn't be the one stopping him from being who he really was. She knew that a relationship couldn't meet any of his goals. And she was ready to give it all up for him. She wanted him to be who had always been: the best BSAA agent.

* * *

><p>She was sitting on the couch, her red eyes fixed on the television without paying any attention to it, when she heard a knock on her door. It was Chris. His eyes were still a little tired but she could tell he was feeling better now.<p>

'Hey', he said smiling.

'Hey.' She answered politely.

'How come you never knocked at my door? You stayed with me in the hospital but you _abandoned _me in the quarter.' He said, mocking a sentimental voice.

She chuckled.

'I thought you could have some rest.' Sheva replied, not looking in his eyes.

'I could rest beside you.' He said cupping her face and searching for her eyes.

She gasped nervously with his touch. Chris just shut the door behind them and walked in the room.

'I won't let you do this.' He affirmed with conviction.

'Do what?'

'What you're doing now. You think I can't read you, Sheva? I'm no fool.'

'Chris…' She whispered, looking down.

'You're trying to end whatever is left of us because you think it'll be easier on me. You don't want to be on my way when I make decisions about what I want, right?'

_How could he read her like that? _She wondered.

'Chris, I just…' she held her breath not to cry, 'I want you to be happy and successful in your career. They will definitely offer you something big now that you almost died for them. And I know a relationship won't be the best thing for…

He interrupted her.

'Who gives a shit about what's best for my career now?'

'Well, you should.'

He fought back.

'All this crap has turned me into an unemotional son of a bitch and, yes, I might have a great opportunity now, but I won't let my work control my life anymore.'

She could say no more, silencing her sobs. He neared her and looked fiercely in her eyes.

'Unless you are the one who doesn't want me anymore, I won't walk away. I'd truly understand if you came to me and said you cared about your career more than us now. You're young, fresh, and full of energy. You can go ahead and change the world. I still want to do that and more, but I feel the weight of the years on my shoulders. I want to invest on us. It would make me happy. These three last days made me smile like I haven't smiled in years. I want to try. But I'll understand if you don't want to.'

Her core was shaking with his words. How could he think she was the one who didn't want him? She wanted him with every atom of her body.

'Chris. I love you.' It was all she could say.

'And…?' He begged for more.

'I don't know Chris.' She couldn't hold her tears anymore.

Chris hated to see her like that. He pulled her to his chest and warmly brushed her hair with his hands.

'Hey, don't cry, I didn't mean to be rude to you. Sorry.'

'You're not rude, Chris…'

'I just want you, Sheva. I want you like I never wanted anyone before and I want to try. Yes, we may split sometimes, I may go alone on missions, but I still want to work it out. I'll go meet you wherever you are, I just don't want to lose you like that.'

He lifted her head up to stare in her eyes.

'You don't want us together?'

Sheva smiled at his innocence. How could he believe that?

'Of course I do, silly. You're the best thing that happened in my life all these damn years. It'll be worth fighting for us.'

They remained hugged for what it seemed like hours. She could hear his heart palpitating on her cheek. He was so warm, so real. He had never felt so real to her like at that moment.

He moved his fingers around her back and then up to her neck, removing the hair resting on her shoulders. Then he started working his magic on her neck. He gently kissed her there, and the soft touch of his lips paralyzed her. She couldn't and didn't want to move. She was all his then. She could feel her skin a little damp with his kisses, which were restlessly moving towards her throat and chin. Chris rubbed his finger gently on her lower lip and then removed it, replacing it with his lips. He kissed her softly at first, tasting her whole mouth. His tongue moved around her lips lightly but consistently.

Her body burned with the feeling of his tongue teasing her. He knew what he was doing to her, she thought. He was doing it on purpose. He licked her lips as if they were a piece of candy and he felt like a diabetic craving for sugar. He hadn't kissed anyone like that in a long time. He was in no hurry, though; he would have the whole night. And he was going to use his tongue all over her body; he smiled to himself, mischievously. His kiss deepened as he seemed to swallow her mouth with passion. His hands were still firm on her hair, as if he was controlling her and making sure she wouldn't leave him. He knew at this point she wouldn't, though.

She was really afraid of touching him because he was sore. She would have to be gentle and the wild sex they had before would have to wait. She moved her hands around his back, down to his buttocks. He was so hot and full of desire for her. _Lucky girl_.

Little by little they removed every piece of clothing they had. He loved the feel of her naked body on his while they were still standing there and kissing. He still hadn't touched her body like he wanted to, but, again, he was in no hurry. Even though they were in the quarters, nobody knew what they were doing there and he actually didn't care.

He slowly walked with her and lay her down on the bed. He stayed on top of her as if he was about to devour her. He hungered for her feel, taste, and love. He slowly placed his lips on her breast and made her moan. He loved when she did that. He also loved how soft the skin of her nipple felt on his mouth. It felt cold and since his tongue was warm, it seemed like fire and ice were meeting.

She felt she was about to have an orgasm only by the feeling of his tongue on her nipples. He sucked them lightly and spent as much time licking them as he had spent kissing her. She never thought he would be able to torture her that much. Her breasts felt damp and warm now, of so much he had worked on them. She was trying to control her limbs that wouldn't stop wriggling. She felt she had no bones and was moving unstoppably underneath his massive body.

He couldn't stop tasting her. His lips moved down to her belly button and then to her sex. He hadn't tasted it before and he needed to. He kissed it, making her gasp in anticipation. He looked up at her and smiled naughtily, as if he was warning that he would do the same thing he had done to her breast and lips.

_Indescribable._ That's what she thought when his tongue was moving all around her center. She felt pleasure when he was inside her before, but nothing like that. It was not quite like sex. It was ethereal and deepening at the same time. And it sure made her burn with a lot more intensity. She had just learned something new about her body and she was in no hurry to stop. She felt her limbs shake and her core burn with the most powerful orgasm she had ever had, while his tongue still teased her. She pressed her legs against his head and she thought for a second she could actually strangle him. He didn't seem to mind at all and he didn't stop until her legs had rested, defeated.

She felt her body sink on the bed as if she weighed five hundred pounds, and the fact that he covered her with his body made her feel even heavier. His eyes were on fire as they met hers. He covered her with another set of passionate kisses and whispered he loved her. She violently grabbed his head and pulled it closer to her, while she turned his body around to be on top of him.

Chris loved the feeling of his back on the warm sheets now, with her warm body on top of his. She looked at him with so much passion in those husky eyes that it made him shake. He firmly caressed her back with his heavy hands, while she gently kissed his earlobe. How did she find out that it was his weakest spot? He was going to lose soon if she didn't stop! She teased him just like he had teased her before, gently kissing and licking his earlobe, making it wet and warm, while her hands pressed into his voluptuous muscular chest. She could feel his heartbeats fastening, so she guessed he really liked what she was doing.

He grabbed her butt tightly, feeling the warmth and softness of it. That was definitely his favorite part of her body. He had had a hard time concentrating on the mission with her hips dancing around. She had to wear tight jeans, damn it! His hands ached with the feeling of her butt slipping away as she sat on top of him. She stared at him lazily, passionately, and warmly. He caressed her nipples with his thumbs and curiously gazed at her, as if he asked what she was thinking. She smiled back, mischievously.

She wasn't ready to stop at all. He would pay her back for the wreck he had caused with his tongue, as her body was still shaking. She pulled him to a sitting position and she got out of bed and kneeled on the floor. He took a deep breath and smiled, as he knew what she was going to do: torture him. She tenderly grabbed his arousal in her hands, admiring its pinkish skin. She placed her lips on its tip and felt the softness of that skin, licking it lightly. He moaned in agony and she had barely started. She was provocatively kissing it and swallowing it, little by little, also using her hands around it. His hands went all crazy on her hair while she did the great job. He felt helpless and stuck. And also too damn good, he thought.

He surely didn't want to make any mess on her pretty face, so when he was close to go he pulled her back to him and made her sit down on his lap, wrapping her legs around his waist. Instinctively, he put on his condom and pulled her closer to his body, entering her inch by inch. She cried almost inaudibly, biting her lip and pressing her hand on his neck tightly. His eyes got stuck on hers, as if they talked. Eventually he meant to say something.

'I won't leave you. Don't ever think like that again.'

She smiled, filled with happiness. She tilted her head to the right and slowly pressed her lips on his. It was her response to his request. Okay, she would trust him. He was hers. And she was his.

It felt amazing to sit on him and have his arms wrapped around her while he pressed against her. It felt natural, easy, and simple. He was all she wanted.

He couldn't have asked for more than having her with him that night. He loved how her warm caramel skin touched his milky one, as a stream of sweat flowed between them. She felt so soft, so warm, so giving. He still couldn't believe someone who had a hell of a life could be that sweet and perfect. He couldn't lose her or let her go. He kept his eyes closed and felt emerged by the feeling of her tightening her legs, as she was overflowed with a powerful orgasm, followed by his. _Eternal._


	7. Carpe Diem

_Sadly this is my last chapter. Happily, I must say I really liked the end of this story. It was realistic, deep, and human. You'll be really able to feel what the characters are feeling. Hope you like it. Creva love ;)_

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><p>Sheva opened her eyes lazily and felt happy. The weight of his body was slightly bothering her, but she didn't want to leave. She could feel his breathing softly blowing on her earlobe, while he embraced her, peacefully resting his arms around her stomach .<p>

She carefully untangled his arms, hoping he wouldn't wake up. But as she was about to get up, he gave a deep breath and opened his eyes, as blue as the sky.

'Good morning.' She said, leaning back down to kiss his cheek.

'Morning, honey.' He stretched his arms. 'Why are you up so early?'

'Early?' She chuckled. 'It's almost noon, Chris.'

'Whatever, come back to bed.'

'Chris Redfield, is that really you?' She smiled, shaking her head.

She heard a knock on the door. She put on her robe and walked towards the door to see who it was. It was Josh.

'Sorry to interrupt,' he winked, smiling mischievously because he knew she wasn't alone. 'But we have a debriefing at two.'

'Do you know what's all about?'

'The mission. We're all done. They will formally dismiss us all today.'

Sheva knew what that meant. Chris was the first one to be dismissed. She should be fine with that because she already knew he would have to go. But Josh could sense her sadness.

'Hey, it'll be alright, Shev.' He smiled at her, confidently.

'Yes, it will, Josh. Thanks for letting me know. I'll see you at two.'

She slowly shut the door, taking her time to lock it, while her mind raced. She turned to go back to Chris but he was already behind her.

'Chris, you scared me.' She gasped in surprise.

'Remember what I said yesterday.'

She hated herself for being so sentimental and weak. She smiled at him, trying to show confidence.

'I know, Chris, and I believe you. It's just… it will still hurt to see you getting in an airplane.'

He neared her and and gently embraced her, kissing her head. He knew what she was feeling. He was feeling the same.

'Just promise you will do what's best, Chris, even if it's not the best for us. If you need to go on an important mission to save lives, just go.'

He chuckled and hugged her tenderly.

'Always so unselfish', he commented in a contemplation tone. 'Ok, I promise. But you're also my mission now.'

'How come?' She asked, smiling.

'My mission in life is also making you happy, other than saving the world.'

'Aw Chris.'

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><p>He wasn't happy about the situation either. He wanted something more predictable but that would never happen for them. He hugged her tight during the shower, while the water ran down, trying to find a gap between their bodies. She raised her head and confidently met his eyes. He read hers right away, as usual.<p>

'_Carpe diem._' He whispered.

She smiled, happy he had read her mind. Seize the day. That was all she wanted to say as well.

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><p><em>Chris<em>

The debriefing was just a bunch of bullshit put together, according to Chris' conversation with Josh later on. Their superiors talked proudly to them, praising them for the good work. _As if they cared_, Chris thought. But Chris was happy to see everybody together in the room. One of the best teams he'd had over the last five years. Josh was an outstanding leader. Chris offered to partner with him in another mission in Africa if he needed someone experienced. Josh was grateful and said he would keep Chris in mind. Chris owed his life to him, well, his and Sheva's. He would certainly miss Josh and his leadership.

He could see the look in her eyes when he was told he was being dismissed. She grinned lightly, showing confidence and faith in him. When they told him he would be flying back on the following morning, he put his arms behind his back and gasped a 'No, thanks.' All eyes in the room turned to him. He smiled. He said he was going back very soon, but he wasn't quite ready yet and he deserved some damn vacation since he hadn't had any in years. He wanted to go in a safari, explore the good side of Africa. Josh and the crew tried not to laugh at Chris' brave attitude. Everyone knew why he wasn't willing to go yet. Sheva blushed and looked down. She had been dismissed too. Now it was her turn to ask for a time off. That would be very suspicious, though, so Josh intervened and said that everyone on the crew deserved some time with their families. Their commander agreed but said that Sheva could stay in the base to take care of some work, since she had no family. She froze with his mean comment but Josh immediately shot back and said: 'No, she's with us. We're her family.' Sheva looked at Josh with such grateful eyes that Chris was deeply moved. Wow, the guy was really a hero, he thought.

When their commander left, everyone was cheering.

'Man, you've really got some balls. We need someone as fierce as you ruling this crappy place.' Boya commented to Josh.

Sheva rushed to give Josh a hug, grateful for what he had just done. He had taken care of her all those years and taught her everything she knew. But that day, he just made her so happy.

Chris smiled at Sheva, tenderly. He also had never done such a thing for a woman, he considered. She was special, though.

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><p><em><strong>Italy, 6 months later.<strong>_

_Sheva_

She had just finished her job. She was checking on a possible bioterrorist group in Siena, Italy. The mission had been sort of a fiasco, as no actual evidence was found. But the worst part of it had been working with a douchebag like Herrera. They had worked together before, but this time as partners. She hated the way he tried to say she was always wrong, as if he was superior to her because he was a man. _Ugh_, she hated him so much! In the end of the day, she was right and he had walked away like a puppy, tail under his legs. _Dismissed _was all she wanted to hear not to look on his dumb face again.

After being 'freed' from that stupid mission, she took a train to Rome and couldn't wait to finally know that city. Her dream was to see the Coliseum and the old ruins. Her heart palpitated when she arrived at the Roma Termini station. But she had another reason to feel excited: she was meeting him.

Chris Redfield had been assigned to a mission in Spain and, after the end of it, he purposely stayed longer in Europe to be able to meet her. They had done this multiple times over the last six months. They had met in London, Vienna, Bangkok, Cairo, Washington DC, Dubai, among other cities. Sheva proudly kept a photo album with their pictures together in those places. She preferred the feeling of touching the pictures rather them keeping them in an electronic device. She would fall asleep every night staring at them.

Sheva had never thought she would be able to travel so much. She was granted a special agent title by the headquarters of BSAA and was not tied to the West African branch any longer, though she had gone there a couple of times to work and also to meet her friends. She knew BSAA could also track where Chris and she were. They definitely knew about their relationship, and that was probably the reason why they were never assigned to be on a mission together. But they never said a thing about it and totally respected their privacy. It didn't matter actually. Just the fact they were able to meet was a victory.

She really missed the wonderful time they had in Africa. After they had been dismissed, Chris, Sheva, Josh and the rest of the crew went on a safari trip and she never had so much fun in her life. Being with her best friends and her love was priceless. She remembered crying so much the night before he left. He whispered he loved her countless times on her ear in bed. Yet she felt like she had a giant visible hole in her body when she lost his sight in the airport. It had been the second worst pain she had felt, the feeling of losing the one you loved, even though she knew she hadn't really lost him.

She was human and obviously insecure. She was mad at herself that she was so jealous sometimes, she confessed. It really bothered her to see him going on missions with some random women she didn't know. She didn't mind when he paired with Jill at all, she knew they had something in the past, but she was no threat to her. Jill was his best and most loyal friend and she knew how much Chris loved Sheva. As for the other agents… What if they were pretty? _Ugh!_ She promised herself not to think about it. She absolutely trusted him, but it just hurt her to the core that those women were lucky enough to be beside him when she wasn't. _Oh well._ They'd better never step on her way, because if they did, she would turn into the ferocious militia rebel she had been before to defend what belonged to her.

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><p><em>Chris<em>

His heart raced as if he had just run five miles nonstop. He would finally be able to see her, spend four days in that amazing city, make love to her, and sleep by her side. He had recently told his superiors at BSAA that they were in a relationship. They owed him some serious respect for everything he had done for them over the last ten years. The least they could do was giving them that extra time after a mission for them to meet. Sheva had told him she thought it was weird they never said no to her when she requested some time. He never told her why, naughtily keeping that as a secret to himself. He knew she was way too responsible sometimes and she would worry too much about what BSAA must be thinking.

She was wearing a red coat and a black scarf, as she told him she would. Her hair was nicely curled and it beautifully danced in the wind. Her eyes were fixed at the platform signs to see if his train had come. She checked her _Blackberry_, no message from him. Chris smiled to himself and walked slowly towards her back.

As he reached her, he whispered on her ear.

'Ms. Alomar, you told me you would be more careful.'

She smiled and turned back to him. She loved his games.

'Why should I be careful, Mr. Redfield?'

'What if I was an enemy? You'd be helpless and I could have done whatever I wanted to you.'

'Well, I am usually 100% aware when you are not around. Besides, you're not my enemy. So I'm still keeping my promise of watching my back, literally.'

He touched her face softly, removing some hair out of her cheek, as the cold wintry wind wouldn't stop blowing.

'Good to see you, my love.' He said, in a happy and relieved sigh.

'Good to see you, too, Chris.'

He kissed her delicately yet passionately. Oh, how he had missed her over the last four weeks. Every time she was gone, it seemed like an eternity. Sheva would purposely forget something on their last night together before leaving. It could be a hair pin, an earring, a glove, anything. He would put that 'piece of hers' on his nightstand and look at it fixedly, until he fell asleep.

They slowly walked together out of the station, heading to their hotel and to a cozy long night.

* * *

><p><em>Sheva<em>

He had really picked a nice hotel this time, she thought. She looked at the painted beige ceiling and moved her eyes to the window, where all she could see was the old city lights.

He gently played with her right nipple and kissed her naked shoulder.

'What're you thinking?'

She turned to his blue eyes.

'You made a good choice this time.' She replied, looking around.

'You deserve it. Plus we'll spend lots of time in here.' He smiled mischievously.

'What do you mean?' She asked, laughing. 'I want to go sightseeing.'

'Yes, we will, but I guess there's something better to do underneath these sheets. Naked, of course.'

'Chris, you're definitely the old lecherous man I said you were back in Africa.'

'At least I'm only lecherous when I'm around you.'

She raised herself up on her elbow and stared at his face, with questioning eyes.

'Really? I do hope so.'

He naughtily smiled, knowing she would be all fired up with jealousy. He loved to provoke her.

'What do you mean?'

'You know what I mean, agent Redfield. Don't you dare consider having another partner.'

He laughed loudly.

'Of course I would never consider that. You're so far the hottest.'

She asked sensually, rubbing his chest.

'Am I?'

'Yeah. There's a couple of hot ones, not hotter than you, though.' He winked, knowing she would be bursting out in fire soon.

'How hot?'

'Well, you know, nice asses, pretty smiles.'

Her face was red and he was obviously having fun.

'Well', she shot back. 'I've seen some nice asses on my side too, you know.'

Chris knew that a guy's bum was definitely something she was hot for. He also knew he was super jealous about her.

'Hum, I see… So what's that Herrera guy like?'

'A douchebag.'

'It's not the only thing the female agents say…'

She could sense his jealousy and she was also proud of it.

'Well, I can tell you. He's pretty hot, but he's a real jerk.'

'No chance of trading me?'

'No. What about you trade me for one of those hot asses?'

'Why would I trade you when you're definitely the best?

They passionately made love again. Chris felt he was the luckiest guy in the world to have a woman like her beside him. He looked back and thought he had been so stupid. At first he had made up reasons not to be with her. She was too young, he was too old and screwed up, she wouldn't be able to deal with a heartbreak, bla bla bla. But he was glad he started listening to his heart. Now there was nothing that could keep them apart.

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><p>He was lazily hugging her from behind, his lips close to her ears, where he always liked to be.<p>

'You know, love, I can't wait till the day we won't be traveling so much. Wish I could meet you at the same place every single day.'

'I know. It would be so good.'

'I'll work on that. Promise.'

'Where would we live?'

'Anywhere. At the same house? For the rest of our lives?' He asked, as if giving her an option.

She paused for a second.

'What is that supposed to mean?'

'That I want to marry and settle down.'

She gasped, turning to him in surprise.

'Are you proposing, Chris? I never saw that coming from you.'

He smiled.

'Not formally yet, but maybe. Sorta.'

'Wow.' She said, speechless, laughing at his genuine response.

'But it might take a while, you know.'

'Chris?' She looked fixedly at his eyes.

'Yes.'

'_Carpe diem_.'

'I know… Hum, Shev?'

'What?'

'What do you think?'

She opened a beautiful smile, knowing what he wanted her to answer. He was wondering if she would like to stay with him for the rest of their lives.

'Chris, I ask you. What do you think I want?'

He smiled and kissed her, knowing he got his answer. She was ready for him to take her wherever he wanted. And at the moment, he was taking her to heaven.

He peacefully slept by her side and she fixedly looked at the window, staring at the city lights again. Every new day with him gave her a feeling that she couldn't be any happier then. He had indirectly told her she was the one and she told him the same. They were meant to be together and those six months were a real proof of that. She knew that they had spent more days apart than together and she also wondered if that was why they got along so well. They had fought a couple of times, but mostly for jealousy and because they cared too much about each other. However, they would easily make up in bed. Chris was a real concern to her sometimes. She knew how brave he was and all she wanted was him to be more cautious. She didn't want him to get hurt or … not to mention that word… die. Sometimes he was a real pain in the ass and stubborn like every man, she thought. But she would make sure he stayed safe.

They had adopted the practice of saying a prayer every night before they fell asleep. They would first thank for all they had and then ask for one thing only: protection. So that they could always be safe. The rest was rest. It still hurt to say goodbye. They had both cried a couple of times while hugging each other in stations and airports, but that was part of the game. And they would play it and beat it together. Partners till the end.

_Carpe diem_.

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><p><em>Please, review it!<em> _hope to see you soon in another story sometime._


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